Bangladesh government breaks silence on cricket team’s tour of Pakistan

Bangladesh cricket team’s tour of Pakistan has been reportedly given the green light by the government after a ceasefire agreement between India and Pakistan. Bangladesh’s tour of Pakistan for the five-match T20I series was thrown into limbo after India and Pakistan attacked each other following the Pahalgam terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir, which killed 26 people.

Bangladesh’s T20I series against is scheduled to start on 25 May at Faisalabad’s Iqbal Cricket Stadium, however, the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) had earlier said that the final decision will be taken after “careful consideration” of the current situation.

“The BCB wishes to reiterate that the safety and security of its players and support staff remain the Board’s highest priority. All decisions concerning the tour will be made with careful consideration of the current situation in Pakistan, ensuring they align with the best interests of the team and Bangladesh cricket,” it said.

More from First Cricket

Shastri wanted Kohli to continue in Tests, but a chat changed his mind: ‘Yes, the time is right’ India squad for England Tests Highlights: Gambhir, selectors set sights on new Test captain; Arshdeep set for red-ball debut?

Bangladesh government clears cricket team’s tour to Pakistan

On Thursday, a BCB official confirmed to Cricbuzz that the government has given a go-ahead for the Pakistan tour, however, some players are still reluctant.

“We have got the green signal (from the government) though we are yet to receive the official letter which we are expecting sooner than latter but as far as I know government have taken the decision in principle that they will let us visit Pakistan for the upcoming tour,” a BCB official said.

“After getting the official letter from the government we will start talking with our players as we learnt that some of them are reluctant to travel citing security reason,” he said. “One thing we can assure is that we won’t push anyone.”

The schedule for the T20I series is set to see some changes. As per the report, the T20I series will now start on 27 May instead of 25 May as the Pakistan Super League (PSL) final has been shifted to that date. Besides Faisalabad, matches will also be played in Lahore.